Producer Profiles

“You’re welcome back at V8 Ranch anytime,” smiled Brandon Cutrer as I pulled out of the drive after our interview – and I’m certain I’m not the only visitor who’s heard those words.

Cronin Farms has been steadily improving their land management practices for 25 years. Since transitioning to no-till in 1992, the Cronins have carefully managed their land and their livestock to give both the best care.

The panhandle of Texas is the heart of America’s largest cattle-feeding area. More than 6.5 million fed cattle are marketed here each year, accounting for 30 percent of the total U.S. production according to the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.

With the recent downturn in market prices, producers are looking for ways to add value to their calves before they hit the market. One alternative is backgrounding. Cimarron River Cattle Company, a custom feeding operation near Kismet, Kansas, specializes in backgrounding calves and preparing them for the feedlot.

When God made man,
He seemed to think it best
To make him in the East,
And let him travel west.
– Anonymous

So the story of Josh Eilers goes like this: Eilers, then a 21-year-old student at the University of Texas and a returned U.S. Army Ranger, is sitting in a bar and chatting with an attractive blonde.